Orthodontic neckpad



Oct. 28, 1969 L. F. ANDREWS 3,474,536

ORTHODONTI C NECKPAD Filed April 24, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet l F/ 4 INVENT Oct. 28, 1969 F. ANDREWS 3,474,536

ORTHODONTIC NECKPAD Filed April 24, 1967 s Shets-Sheet 2' FIG. 5 I

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ORTHODONTIC NECKPAD Filed April 24, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. LAWRENCE F. ANDREWS United States Patent 3,474,536 ORTHODONTIC NECKPAD Lawrence F. Andrews, 1808 Cable St., San Diego, Calif. 92107 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 424,311, Jan. 8, 1965. This application Apr. 24, 1967, Ser.

Int. Cl. A61c 19/00 US. C]. 32-14 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application for an orthodontic neckpad filed Jan. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 424,311 and now abandoned.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a cervical pad and elastic attachment and more particularly to a cervical pad and elastic attachment in which the cervical pad cannot slip along the elastic attachment.

The prior art cervical pads with an elastic attachment suffer from many disadvantages among which is the tendency of the neck pad to slip along the elastic attachment causing discomfort to the wearer. Another major disadvantage in the prior art elastic attachment results from the link adjustment on just one end. The disadvantage of having a link adjustment at only one end lies in the fact that this necessitates more layers of elastic band on the adjustment end which, together with uneven friction along the pad, results in the stretch or elasticity of the band being asymmetrical, and hence, the tendency for an uneven pull on the wearers teeth. A further disadvantage of prior art pads lies in the creasing or wrinkling of the material on the side which lies against the neck of the user, as the material is made to conform to the contour of the wearers neck.

According to the invention, a cervical pad is provided which can have one button mounted in the center thereof and/ or another button toward each end thereof for cooperation with an elastic band. In the present application, the term button is defined as any retaining means which is attached to the neck pad for cooperation with a button hole. This would include such alternatives as a riveted button or a button with two members passing through an aperture to be spread apart on the other side of the buttonholding portion.

Heretofore, button holes in elastic bands have been considered impractical due to the stretching of the stitching which defines the button hole causing undue wear and rapid deterioration thereof. In the instant invention button holes may be created by the utilization of two strips of elastic side by side with tacks securing them together at specific points, the distance between tacks defining a button hole. The center button hole can be smaller relative to the button since this button does not have to travel about the button in the stretching of the band. The button holes which are not for cooperation with the center button do experience stretching and hence the length of the button hole must allow for this "ice stretching without undue pulling on the buttons associated therewith.

Further modification would be the utilization of one button and button hole, as described above, in the central portion of the neckpad and conventional tunnel loops on each end thereof for the desired slidable coupling to the orthodontic appliance.

A further embodiment of the present invention would be the utilization of a snap fastener at the very center of the neckpad with a complementary snap fastener at the very center thereof of a singular strip of elastic. Again, conventional tunnel loops would be utilized as the adjustable or slidable coupling means on the ends of the neckpad where the stretching of the elastic is essential. The snap could be attached to the elastic directly since at the very center there is a minimum of stretching required or it could be attached to a separate piece of material which, in turn, could be attached to the central portion of the elastic strip.

Double adjustment, i.e., an adjustment on each end of the elastic member obviates the prior art disadvantage noted by insuring a symmetrical pull on the orthodontic appliance attached thereto.

The disadvantages, e.g., discomfort caused by creasing or wrinkling of the material against the wearers neck are obviated by stitching the front and back surfaces of the pad in discreet increments. This creates folds away from the surface of the wearers neck and prevents random creasing or wrinkling.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a cervical pad and elastic attachment in which no relative slipping can exist.

Another object is to provide a cervical pad and elastic attachment in which the pull of the elastic attachment is symmetrical.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a cervical pad and elastic attachment in which the attachment of said elastic attachment to said cervical pad is simple and expeditious.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a cervical pad which will not crease or wrinkle against the wearers neck when in use.

Still another object to provide a cervical pad and elastic attachment which is simple to construct, relatively inexpensive, and offers a maximum of comfort to the wearer.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention in which a cervical pad and elastic attachment are spacially disposed with respect to each other;

FIG. 2 is an end sectional view of the cervical pad portion of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is an end sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of still another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is an end sectional view of the cervical pad portion of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the invention illustrating a further modification;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the invention illustrating yet another modification; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present. invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, cervical pad 11 has center button 12 and side buttons 13 and 14 symmetrically mounted thereon. Elastic band 16 is constructed of elastic strips 17 and 18 which are attached :by sewn tacks 19, 21 and 22. Elastic tacks 19 define button hole 23, elastic tacks 21 define button hole 24, and elastic tacks 22 define button hole 26. Button 14 cooperates with button hole 23, button 12 cooperates with button hole 26, and button 13 cooperates with button hole 24. The ends of elastic strips 17 and 18 are terminated in length adjustment loops 25 on clasp 20.

Referring to FIG. 2, cervical pad 11 is shown having a foam rubber center portion 32 and completely surrounded by cloth 33. A backing member or layer 34 is shown, which can be made of stiff plastic, for example, lending body to cervical pad 11. Button 12 can be stitched or riveted to member 34.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a difierent type of button arrangement is shown having a different mounting means. Neck pad 11 is shown having button 14 with two metal strips 36 passing through an aperture 37 in neckpad 11. As can be seen, the two metal strips are bent at right angles for retaining button 14 in neckpad 11. At this time, the outer covering 33 is closed along edges 38 by stitching or other suitable means.

In operation, buttons 12, 13 and 14 are slipped into buttonholes 26, 24 and 23, respectively, securing cervical pad 11 to elastic member 16. Length adjustment loops 25 are then adjusted to the individual wearers neck, and mounting eyes on clasp 20- are affixed to an orthodontic appliance for cooperation therewith. Here it is pointed out that the button hole 26 is considerably smaller than button holes 23 and 24 since button hole 26 will not be required to travel in relation to button 12, but merely to stretch. In the stretching of the band, however, button holes 23 and 24 will become distorted and will travel toward their respective ends which will result in a movement of the button holes about buttons 14 and 13. Hence, the tacks defining button holes 23 and 24 must be spaced far enough apart to allow for buttoning in the unstretched condition of elastic bands 16 and to allow for sufficient travel in a stretched position about buttons 13 and 14.

Referring to FIGS. and 6, a still different type of button arrangement is shown having different mounting means. In this embodiment, cervical pad 11 has plastic strip 41 mounted thereon as by stitching at 40. Integral with plastic strip 41 are buttons 42 constructed fromthe same mold as plastic strip 41.

FIG. 7 shows a further modification of cervical pad 11 in stitching 43. This stitching stitches the front and back portions of the cervical pad together creating folds at the stitching which are of necessity away from the surface of the wearers neck. This prevents random creasing or wrinkling which is inherent in the prior art neck pads resulting in extreme discomfort to the wearer. It also provides ventilation between the pad and the wearers neck which minimizes perspiration and its attendant problems.

Referring now to FIG. 8, cervical pad 11 has a central button 12 attached thereto with tunnel loops S1 and 52, respectively, attached toward each end of cervical pad 11. Again, elastic tacks 22 define button hole 26 in elastic band 16, elastic strips 17 and 18 being stitched on each side of button hole 26 at 53 and 54. In this embodiment, button 12 in cooperation with button hole 26 limits the slippage of elastic band 16 with respect to cervical pad 11, while tunnel loops 51 and 52 provide the necessary slidable coupling at each end of cervical pad 11 for attachment to an orthodontic appliance.

Referring now to FIG. 9, another embodiment of the present invention is shown in which cervical pad 11 has a snap fastener 54 attached at the center thereof for cooperation with a complementary snap fastener 56 attached to elastic band 16. In this embodiment, elastic band 16 is one solid strip of elastic since'the button hole is not utilized and each end is passed through tunnel loops 51 and 52 of cervical neckpad 11. Here, since the only direct fastening means is in the center of the cervical neckpad 11, and elastic band 16, there is a minimum of stretch at the mounting of snap 56 which will minimize the deterioration of its mounting to elastic band 16. The relative slippage between the centers of cervical pad 11 and elastic strip 16 by a non-slidable coupling at their center portions and slidable coupling is probided by conventional tunnel loops 51 and 52 at the ends of cervical pad 11.

It is pointed out that the construction shown and described in the instant invention obviates the disadvantages of the prior art by making it impossible for the cervical pad to slip or slide in relationship to elastic band and the two adjustment loops being identical will result in a symmetrical stretch of the elastic band.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention and it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for the purposes of the disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cervical pad and elastic attachment of the type for attaching orthodontic appliances thereto where the cervical pad isolates the elastic attachment from a wearers neck, the improved construction comprising:

a pad member having a first side adapted to rest against a wearers neck and a second side having at least one fixed coupling means attached thereto; and

an elastic member comprising an elastic strip having at least one fixed coupling means attached thereto cooperating with said at least one fixed coupling means attached to said pad member, said at least one fixed coupling means of said pad member and said elastic member being operable to couple said pad member and said elastic member in stretched and unstretched positions of said elastic member and limiting the relative movement of said pad member with respect to said elastic member while allowing full elasticity over the entire length of said elastic strip.

2. The improved construction of claim 1 wherein:

said at least one fixed coupling means attached to said pad member comprises at least one button and said at least one fixed coupling means attached to sai? elastic member comprises at least one button be e.

3. The improved construction of claim 2 wherein:

said elastic member comprises two elastic strips joined by tacks forming one strip having a combined width of the two elastic strips and the same thickness. said tacks being so placed as to form said at least one button hole.

4. The improved construction of claim 2 wherein:

said at least one button comprises a plurality of buttons; and

said elastic member comprises two elastic strips joined by a plurality of tacks forming one strip havin the combined width of the two elastic strips and the same thickness, said tacks being so placed as to form a plurality of button holes for cooperation with said plurality of buttons attached to said pad member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,521,639 1/1925 McGlasson 2325 XR 2,505,272 4/1950 Blalock 2-336 2,874,468 2/1959 De Woskin 32-14 FOREIGN PATENTS 550,466 1/1943 GreatBritain.

ROBERT PESHOCK, Primary Examiner 

